Suspicions

Posted on Thu Jun 1st, 2017 @ 10:58am by Captain Rueben Gregnol & Alika Mahone

Mission: Mission 3 - Negligence
Location: Deck 1 - Main Bridge
Timeline: MD 02 10:00
1250 words - 2.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Rueben frowned as he looked at the chronometer and realised that Alika hadn’t spoken a word to him in over an hour. It had been like this all shift unless he asked questions. He glanced at Dixoho and indicated the door. The redhead raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything other than.

“Excuse me… I need to grab some of the charts.” She said leaving the Bridge empty apart from the Captain and First Officer at the Ops console.

“Mahone?” Rueben asked.

"Gregnol," came the reply from the pilot in the chair. She didn't sound annoyed, but she didn't turn around in her chair as she normally did, to address Rueben like a human being, instead of like a captain, "Sir."

Rueben frowned a little more if it was possible, his face twisting into a grimace as he took in her small form just glaring ahead. "Care to talk?" He finally asked. He knew something was playing in her head, he could almost hear the cogs working overtime in her head trying to work something out and it wasn't ship related as he knew full well that she could fly the ship blindfolded.

The young pilot didn't respond immediately, taking her sweet time to set up the trajectory she had already touched. Then, after a nonchalant, "sure," she turned in her chair and gave the Captain an emotionless look. "About what?"

Rueben eyed her a little more as he stood up and walked over to lean against her console. "What is going on with you?" He finally wondered like it was a question he asked every day of the week.

Looking from the console to Rueben, then back to the console again, Alika shrugged. "I could ask you the same thing. There's no need for the secrecy on jobs like this. We're a bunch of civilians, last I checked."

He shrugged himself not sure what she was on about, to say the least."Secrecy?" He wondered hoping she would elaborate what was wrong and why he was getting more attitude that normal. Had he made a mistake in making her his Executive Officer? Was she not ready for that type of responsibility?

"Secrecy," Alika confirmed. "The type of secrecy a Starfleet Captain has when he's trying to keep classified information from his crew. That's all well-and-good within the organization, but we're out of it. That's why I signed up. That's why I thought everyone else signed up." She side-eyed him grumpily. Brat or not, she didn't like the feeling of being left out, and she suspected neither did anyone else. "It also makes you seem suspicious, like we're flying into our dooms or something."

Rueben looked at the young woman and smiled. Everything was coming together now that she had spoken up and revealed a little bit of what was going on in his head. “You saw me on Bajor meeting, someone, didn’t you?” He asked feeling a little relieved. If she saw him then someone else apart from Leiddem and Jeassaho had an inkling that something wasn’t right with him.

"I'm not the only one." She frowned.

"You are not?" Who else was suspicious of him. How has he managed that? He used to be able to operate without anyone even knowing he was doing anything untoward. He needed to nip that in the bud very quickly if that was the case. He didn't need to be explaining himself to anyone else, no one else needed to be dragged into the mess that Barton's arrest had created.

Alika could only scoff at Rueben's seeming cluelessness. "No, I'm not. There are some pretty observant folk in the bunch, Cap. None of us are gonna take secrets sitting down."

“Alika… I am doing this to actually protect us…” He admitted. He didn’t want to tell her everything but he would tell her some of his stories. “Some people on this ship need my protection… our protection and I am being blackmailed pretty much into going to Empok Nor. Obviously, we are getting paid for it but we don’t really get a choice in the matter.”

"Not telling us where we're going till we're practically there isn't protection, Boss. Nah, we don't need every key detail, or the name of the guy who decided to blackmail ya, but we can't prepare until we know. Or at least the people you're expecting to be in charge of people and places. If we're going somewhere that's gonna be dangerous to us, then the crew's got a right to at least know where we're goin'."

"I did let you all know as soon as I knew." He admitted. He hadn't exactly been given much time to prepare himself let alone prepare his crew. It was a difficult situation he knew that but he was trying to do what was best even if people couldn't see it.

The young woman opened her mouth to protest. Then she closed it. In another instant, it was opened and closed again. She had a horrible gut feeling, perhaps many more than one, that while she was being perfectly clear and he was not all wrong, that they were going to butt heads on this specific topic. Instead of giving him obstinate scowls and expecting him to fix himself, Alika's voice softened (slightly), in the hopes he wouldn't take her question too personally. "... is this how they did it in Starfleet? The leading - dash - mission giving thing, I mean."

Rueben watched her open her mouth a few times watching her as she tried to tone down whatever was inside of her head from spilling out to nastily in her usual fashion. It had been why he had chosen her when he could have picked anyone else, she would always call him out. "No... this is very different from Starfleet a lot more attitude and questions." He murmured softly. "Alika... do you understand why I am doing this?" He asked hopeful that she now understood.

"Yes n' No. Mostly no." Alika admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm used to Starfleet higher ups going 'this is on a need to know basis and you don't need to know.' Which was fine for the period I was there, it wasn't like I was in charge of anyone. I'm not sayin' you've gotta tell everyone exactly everythin' that's goin' on. I mean, blackmail's personal. No one needs t'nose in the personals. But just 'cause you're trying to protect a bunch of people doesn't mean you've gotta shoulder it all on your own. 'Cause then what happens if you get arrested? Let your second watch your back, Cap."

"I am not planning to get arrested. Nothing to be arrested for recently." He muttered shortly. That was the one thing about this operation compared to when Barton had it, he was trying to be as legit as he could be.

"I don't think anyone plans to get arrested," Alika protested, arms crossing over her chest. "Like, ever."

"Okay.... Okay." The Russain held his hand up in surrender. "I get it but you need to realise i won't put up with the attitude anymore," He grinned teasing her a little. Her attitude was one of the things about her that he liked and why he had chosen her as his XO...first mate.

OFF::

Alika Mahone
First Mate
SS Mary Rose

Rueben Gregnol
Captain
SS Mary Rose